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Complete Forecast for  May 17 2008

By SHANE STARK
Staff Writer

WINONA — It’s a rainy afternoon, and Buck Thompson relaxes in the coaches’ office with an acoustic guitar. Though he’s only a novice picker, the guitar is one of several hobbies the Winona senior has taken up.

“I don’t know much, but I just pick at it a bit,” he said. “I like country and bluegrass.”

The owner of the guitar is his father, Deewayne Thompson.

It seems to represent a tight pact the two have enjoyed over the years, during which father-son activities have included hunting and fishing — and discus throwing.

On Saturday, Thompson will continue a family tradition at the Class 2A State Track and Field Championships at The University of Texas’ Mike A. Myers Stadium. Thompson will make his second consecutive appearance in the discus and shot put, but this time wants to return home with the Thompson family’s second and third gold medals.

In 1976, Mr. Thompson earned the awe of Winona by claiming the most pursued of track and field achievements in the discus. Thompson has spent years working to earn one of his own.

“He’s been doing this since he’s been able to think,” Mr. Thompson said. “We made him a little wooden discus when was three or four years old. ... He would throw it four or five feet, thinking he was throwing it forever.”

Throughout his early childhood, Thompson was indoctrinated into discus and shot put. According to Mr. Thompson, his son “wasn’t even two-foot tall when he started going to the track meets.”

No doubt, the fascination has paid dividends. For one thing, it’s helped the former tot possess the most valuable tools in sports — talent, experience, desire and work ethic.

“I work hard every day, rain or shine,” Thompson said. “You have to be able to throw no matter what the weather is. It takes a lot of practice.”

In his first attempt at gold last season, Thompson came up empty handed with a pair of sixth-place finishes. His finish in the discus was somewhat crushing at the time, because he matched the winning throw at the district meet a month earlier.

“I know I could’ve won it, and I thought about it every day,” Thompson said. “It think it’s pushed me.”

Winona shot put/discus coach John Portwood certainly agrees. Yet, he firmly believes Thompson would’ve given his all anyway.

“He hasn’t gotten senioritis,” Portwood said. “He’s a very driven kid. We’ve had to run him out of here sometimes so he doesn’t overthrow.”

Added head coach Scott Evans: “In every track meet this year, he’s stepped up. Every big track meet: he’s been ready to perform.”

Thompson enters his second try as the fifth seed in the discus (168-06 at regionals) and the fourth seed in the shot put (55-1?, school record). Van Vleck’s Williams Griffin owns the top qualifying throw in the discus (181-03), while Taft’s Jacob Thormaehlen has the best shot put (61-05).

Someone who shies away from sounding overconfident, Thompson expressed a strong will to finish on top.

“The way I’ve been practicing the last week, if I throw like that, I should win the discus,” he said.

Of course, that’s been a longtime goal of Thompson and his father. But make no mistake, this gold would belong to the boy.

“The main thing, it’s all him,” Mr. Thompson said. “I’m just out there supporting. ... I hope he gets it, for himself.”

Notes: In 1990, Deewayne Thompson helped coach Royal West to the discus state title. It was Winona’s most recent gold medal until last spring, when Broderick Meekings ran to the top podium in the 200-meter dash.